This invention relates to a collapsible crash box for dissipating energy between a coat hook and a vehicle roof.
It is know to mount various trim components, including conventional coat hooks, to a roof bracket of a motor vehicle interior. It is required by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 201 that these components meet or exceed the head impact criteria values designated thereby. The prior art includes examples of components that can be attached to a roof bracket of a motor vehicle interior. However, these components are generally formed from one piece, do not provide easily changeable impact and deformation characteristics, and further, lack the stability, load bearing, and cosmetic characteristics desired in such components. Further, the components in the prior art do not conform readily to the contour of the headliner material of the motor vehicle.
According to the invention, a component mounting bracket for mounting a component in a headliner of a motor vehicle includes a collapsible crash box which includes at least one collapsible level oriented concentrically with respect to a supporting frame. At least one level of the crash box absorbs the impact along the longitudinal axis of the crash box by collapsing against a layer of sheet metal of the motor vehicle. The component such as a coat hook has a clip for retaining and securing the component within the sheet metal of the vehicle. The crash box farther comprises laterally spaced recesses for receiving tabs on the corresponding component. During a sufficient impact, the clip will move out of engagement with the sheet metal of the motor vehicle to further absorb the impact and promote passenger safety. In a second embodiment of the invention, the crash box has resilient legs to retain the crash box mounted to the sheet metal of the motor vehicle in the event that the component is removed from the vehicle.
More specifically, the invention provides an energy dissipation assembly for dissipating energy between a vehicle component and a vehicle sheet metal member. The assembly includes a collapsible crash box forming a central aperture therethrough for receiving the vehicle component. The collapsible crash box includes a plurality of collapsible levels oriented concentrically with respect to the central aperture. An uppermost one of the levels is positioned to abut against the sheet metal member and a lowermost one of the levels is positioned to abut against the component. A sufficient impact against the component causes collapse of the plurality of levels between the component and the sheet metal member, thereby dissipating energy of the impact.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a collapsible crash box for dissipating energy between a vehicle component and a sheet metal member, such as between a coat hook and a vehicle roof.
A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible crash box for dissipating energy between a vehicle component and a vehicle roof, wherein the crash box provides sufficient stability, load bearing and cosmetic characteristics desired in such an application.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.